A few words from Pierre
on life in the Spirit
Asking for the Holy Spirit / The desire
We used to say, “Oh Jesus, I wish I could go to you.” And then we would fall down all the time. That’s what happened to me, until one day I said, “Oh if you could just send us the Holy Spirit.” And I finally understood that if I couldn’t move forward, it was because I wasn’t asking the other comforter, the lawyer, the counselor, to help me. I had understood that it was the Holy Spirit, but I had not understood that he was the sanctifying Spirit
Gathering in Vézelay 07/74
I realized that it had taken me 40 years and I still hadn’t moved on. Then the moment I said, “I can’t do this anymore, I’m not going to finish,” it starts to kick in again. So you have every chance
Community Weekend 18-19/06/77
This is the only prayer that is sure to be answered. If we ask the Holy Spirit to come, he will come and transform us.
Fraternity of Jesus Paray summer 83 retreat.
It is truly a new Pentecost. Catholics have been praying for this new Pentecost, and when it comes, they are amazed. So we have to change, and it is the Holy Spirit who will change us. He is waiting for that.
Gathering in Vézelay 07/74
Interview on 23/05/76
The Lord had put a hollow in our heart while feeling that it is dreadful. So when He comes, He fills that hollow. If we have a full heart, He cannot enter… Now there are souls who have been longing, asking the Lord for decades for Him to come, to transform the world, for a new Pentecost to come. It has come, but let’s go… let’s go together with Jesus!
Emmanuel inter-assembly day 13/03/76
So what is this Renewal now?… This Renewal is a Pentecostal Renewal. We wanted to distinguish ourselves perhaps from the Pentecostals who were a little excited by calling ourselves “Charismatic Renewal”. But the real thing is a Pentecostal Renewal. This is what John XXIII asked for.
You know very well that those brothers at Duquesne University in the United States, men involved in social issues, in Catholic Action, students and professors who were really living their Christianity said: “Since the Lord tells us that the only request that was sure to be answered was that of the Holy Spirit, since John XXIII asked that a new Pentecost come upon the world… We will pray until this Pentecost comes. They prayed for days and weeks…
Exhortation on the Holy Spirit, 2nd session of Paray-le-Monial 23/07/75
We are moved by this fire of love, but we must ask for it.
Preparatory notes for a teaching session summer 1980
And it came to Duquesne, you know under what circumstances. Then it spread to Notre Dame, to other American universities, and to the whole world.
First summer session in Paray-le-Monial 16/07/75
So now the Lord is bringing down rain in abundance [on] people on all sides. The young people themselves, without having seen all this, say that they are experiencing a conversion: “Lord, you have sent us to reap where we did not sow.” It’s obvious that for 100 years, 200 years, 50 years, how many souls have sacrificed themselves, have prayed for these days! And now these are the days.
Gathering in Vézelay 07/74
God comes into us. Now this is the only prayer that is sure to be answered, the Lord has told us enough! If we ask the Holy Spirit to come, the Lord will come and transform us.
Fraternity of Jesus Paray summer 83 retreat. Teaching 24/07/83
We say to ourselves: “Lord have mercy on us! Truly we are weak but, truly, burn us with your Love!”
That is why I tell you that the Holy Spirit is a “devouring fire,” but, at the same time, peace and gentleness. And this sweetness must come into us, give us a peaceful strength of surrender to this Love; that we burn with love for the Father and the Son, that we burn for sinners. And this is a supernatural love, a love that is given to us. That is why we must pray, so that it may be given to us. [You know very well that the only prayer that is sure to be answered is the prayer of asking for the Holy Spirit, of asking for this merciful Love, for this strength within us.
Community Weekend 25/01/81
There is no point, he says, in doing asceticism for asceticism's sake but (it is) to foster the acquisition of the Holy Spirit.
Preparatory notes for a teaching session summer 1980
The Holy Spirit is excessively delicate… He is extraordinarily delicate. Then He knocks a little at the door: we are taken by the telephone, we do not hear Him… Well. So He knocks a little on the door, and then He goes away. He says, “Well, I came, but they didn’t open the door!” That’s the problem. So once, twice, three times it’s fine; and then (as) he is very polite, he says: “Excuse me, I’ll come back”… So he goes somewhere else: you understand, he thinks he is not wanted!
Interview on 23/05/73
It is the Holy Spirit who will change us. We ask Him and He is waiting for that. He is practical, He wants to change us, He wants to sanctify us… first because He loves us so much!
Gathering in Vézelay 07/74
The simplest way is to ask for Fire, the fire of heaven, to come into us. It is a purifying fire. It makes a bonfire out of our sins (it’s very good timing!)
Interview on 23/05/73
“Cut, rip, destroy.” So I said, “Look, you guys are nice, but you’re scaring me. I am not holy at all, I would rather have the Holy Spirit burn me. So he’s going to burn me, burn all my sins, make a bonfire with all that; and at the same time, as I’ll be all warm, I’ll go and warm the others! But really, this surgical operation makes me sick.
Interview on 23/05/73
We don’t know how to ask for the Holy Spirit (…) The more you pray over yourself, the more you start praying over your brothers, the more, little by little, you will get into the habit of living with the Holy Spirit.
Entretien du 23/05/73
Three or four months after (Pentecost), the apostles ask again for the Holy Spirit because they have a difficulty: they ask for the Holy Spirit and He comes in power in them. The Lord comes and shakes the house… it is only for them. The Holy Spirit wants to give a sign: He shows them His power, He says to them: “Behold, I come, I am with you and with strength.” After that they were “pumped up”.
Well, we will be full of energy and every time we ask for the Holy Spirit, He will come with power and with signs!
Fraternity of Jesus Praise Retreat of 29/07/80
So, says Peter, I was going to propose, if you agree, that we pray for the Holy Spirit to come upon us, to renew us, to give us strength and to give us this spirit of union and fidelity, of humility and fidelity. Amen!
Fraternity of Jesus Retreat Praise of 29/07/80
But after a while we say to ourselves: “If I love him a little, I will be a little more chic for him. And then, as we don’t have the strength, we call upon the Holy Spirit, we say to Him: “Lord, I am unable to do it, but I ask you for the strength to do it. And if we beg all the time… it comes.
Community Weekend 04-05/04/81
Fruits of the Holy Spirit
Of this outpouring of the Spirit could it not be said that it is a special grace given at a dramatic moment in the life of the Church when the devil is so unleashed and his forces so well organized that it is no longer humanly possible to see how the efforts of Christians could succeed. Most Christians and members of the Church appear to be helpless and the most faithful are struck with amazement.
Manuscript notes
Lord, we thank you for sending us your Spirit.
So help us to resemble the ressurected.
Weekend "Emmanuel" 25-26/10/75
You understand the Lord gives things little by little. We advance and poof!… It creates a dazzling effect in the eyes. As it is much more powerful, you don’t hold anything else back.”
Interview by Jean-Marc and Françou Morin in Saint-Maurice 5-8/08/88
If you really want to understand this extraordinary force, […] think that in the whole world it starts everywhere, and everywhere at the same time; and that it starts at the base, without the authorities, from all sides… There are no instructions… and all the people agree. They know everything before they have been taught. […]
The Holy Spirit has opened our spiritual ears and every time we read the Scripture, all the young, the old, everyone understands the preacher, it’s fantastic. And it’s not just here, it’s all over the world!
Gathering in Vézelay 07/74
Interview by Jean-Romain Frisch May or June 77
It’s a great spiritual adventure, but what’s fantastic is to see that… I was always behind, behind the herd. You know very well that the pastor sometimes walks in front of the flock, (sometimes) walks behind. And I find myself much better walking behind. So finally, as the herd moves faster and faster, I am obliged to run behind so as not to miss the herd!
Community weekend in the Netherlands 12/88
I think it's not that complicated, you have to have a light and you have to go...You find the movement by walking.
Interview by Jean-Marc and Françou Morin in Saint-Maurice 5-8/08/88
Don’t think that the community nuclei will close in on themselves, otherwise they will die. But these nuclei will be “strongholds” that will allow this welcome of everyone. It will spread more and more, it is spreading, it is permeating everywhere. [It is the Holy Spirit who, little by little, is passing through and renewing everything.
For example, in the case of liturgical renewal: not all the churches have participated actively in the liturgical renewal, but all are associated with it, all have benefited from it and have had the fruits of it. […]
Teaching about the Renewal communities in France 1975 or 1976
The Renewal is unity in diversity… Charismatic communities are incarnated, in a place that has a culture… We must keep a particularism that gives a certain color, a certain humanity to our communities. [They must be united by the bonds of love. They must constantly visit one another, strengthen one another, be of service to one another and also practice fraternal correction. [If we are not united, we run the risk of having communities that are completely independent and that, little by little, become hardened or go off the rails. [If we try to make unity by making human constructions, we will enclose the Renewal from one side to the other, like those large properties where one follows the wall for miles. […] It is a living creation and bears much fruit. But, rather than a tree, it is a forest that God wants to plant all over France.
All this is the prophetic intuition of the Renewal.
Teaching about the Renewal communities in France 1975 or 1976
It is thanks to our Protestant friends to whom we are grateful… that we have rediscovered the power of the Spirit… Well, we have to make them understand that in the Catholic Church we have found ourselves and we have all the riches of the Church that were a bit out of date and that now are warmed by the Love of the Holy Spirit and the love of our hearts; and that we are being transformed in depth.
Fraternity of Jesus Easter Retreat 82
So it depends on each person. There are some who need to be pushed a little, others, on the contrary, who are scrupulous; and others who have a burning desire, we must rather slow them down. So all this is nuanced, it’s difficult, but the Holy Spirit leads everyone. And that’s the beauty of seeing … everywhere that it is the work of the Spirit.
Community Weekend 22/09/79
The Renewal is fire on earth... It is a grace of Pentecost,
a re-actualization of the confirmation.
We are thus "ordained" to carry this fire to all our brothers.
It is the Holy Spirit who opens the Scriptures to us and reminds us of all that the Lord has said. Pure exegesis is important, it is useful, but that is not the essential. As we are human, we have to make our intelligence work, but first our intelligence has to fall into the heart. It must not drown in it, but it must be bathed in love!
“From prayer group to community" Paray sessions 06/07/79
All over the world the Lord is at work, the Holy Spirit is coming. It is a Pentecost wind that blows, the Holy Father John XXIII has asked us enough!
Emmanuel" inter-assembly day 13/03/76
We are the Lord’s poor in a very poor time. So He comes with His Fire, and we will go even faster than the others (the great saints of the desert) since, afterwards, everything starts to burn!
Weekend "Emmanuel" 25-26/10/75 Saturday 25/10/75
It is the Holy Spirit who opens the Scriptures to us and “reminds us of all that the Lord has said.
“From prayer group to community" Paray sessions 06/07/79
The Lord wants to send us to the plazas, everywhere, to announce Jesus. To do this, it is obvious that we absolutely must change, or rather, that the Lord changes us.
To change, to be truly changed as the Lord wants, we must simply believe that He can change us. Do you really believe that the Spirit of Love can come and set you on fire, transform you?
Interview on 23/05/73
The Holy Spirit is a fire that burns and refreshes at the same time because the Holy Spirit is fire and living water.
Preparatory notes for a teaching session summer 1980
The Holy Spirit is really a Comforter. As John said, it is another Jesus, but at the same time it is both the spirit of Jesus, and it is also the Lord Holy Spirit who is really a Person. And it is this Creator of all things who made heaven and earth, and who makes our heart. It is Love, it is He who transforms us, who transports us to Jesus, and Jesus sends us to the Father, into the bosom of the Father. [Lord, we thank you for having sent us your Spirit through your Cross, through your suffering. You have reconciled us with your Father, and your Father, in your name, sends us your Spirit. So I beg you, Lord help us to resemble the ressurected; transform us, keep us in peace, keep us in recollection, joyful recollection. Make us joyful but keep us in you. […] And then you give us this strength, this courage to go to others, otherwise we are always trembling beings. You are our strength, You are our joy, You are our life. Ah, You are truly alive, make us live in You! Hallelujah!
Weekend "Emmanuel" 26/10/75
Fraternity of Jesus Paray summer 83 retreat. Teaching 24/07/83
It is possible for Him alone), little by little He transforms us, He changes us, He puts a very great love in our heart… in the heart of our heart and little by little it warms everything. And our intelligence, which was darkened, begins to become luminous. We begin to see with the eyes of the heart, we have an intelligence that opens to the mysteries of God. Also, emotionality: instead of being stupidly sentimental, it becomes a generous force full of love. And then the whole body itself becomes luminous and untouchable: a force comes out of it. As was said of Jesus Christ when they wanted to throw him down the mountain, He went through the crowd, “a force came out of Him” and finally nobody could reach Him. Because it is the power of the Spirit, it is the power of Love. So, that strength… we can draw it, and if we do that, we transform ourselves, we convert our friends, and we change the world! I really wish you understood!
Cycle of youth weekends 23-24/01/82
It is the Holy Spirit who will change us. We ask Him and He is waiting for that. He is practical, He wants to change us, He wants to sanctify us… first because He loves us so much!
Gathering in Vézelay 07/74
" From Prayer Group to Community " sessions in Paray 05-09/07/79 05/07/79
These are very, very simple things that go very slowly. It is the law of growth in the Spirit. And it is not the same for everyone, the time is different.
Sessions in Paray 09-21/07/77 “From prayer group to communit
In this spiritual battle, we only have the weapons of the poor because we have nothing, but we have everything, it is the Holy Spirit himself. It is Jesus himself who wants to act. So we have to go in faith. Then it is not so easy, but with Him, everything is easy!
Gathering in Vézelay 07/74
The Lord calls us to trust in him. […] We are told: “In prison, don’t prepare anything; the Lord will tell you right now what you should say”. But [we say to ourselves]: “That’s all very well, but have I been good like this? Is the Holy Spirit really going to come and help me? Have I been faithful enough? But He replies, “Don’t worry about yourself, the Holy Spirit will take care of you.” He takes care of you immensely, but there is something even more important: He is the Advocate, the Advocate of Jesus. He is the Spirit of Jesus. So you think that a lawyer, when he has some witnesses, he makes sure that they are solid, his witnesses. He doesn’t want them to give up. Then you will say to yourself: “It is Jesus who has much more interest in my being faithful than I do, because, if I testify validly, I testify in the name of Jesus. So you are at peace!
E050c Brotherhood of Jesus Christmas 80 Retreat Teaching 3
we’ll go through the fire and the torrents… and we’ll have absolutely nothing to fear because we’ll really be a flame. And when we are in the furnace, well, there will be the water of the Holy Spirit flowing and refreshing us. Wherever we go, we will be strong: we will be the witnesses of Jesus!
Community Weekend 03/15/80
There was a 17-18 year old girl who was in prison for 10 years. That’s lovely! At that age, you’re wasting your life. And she said to God: “… I was so happy in prison with the presence of the Holy Spirit that I would like nothing better than to return to prison (!!)”. She was a very simple girl. Do you see how the power of the Holy Spirit can help us, can transform us. That’s what we have to understand.
Fraternity of Jesus Paray summer 83 retreat. Teaching 24/07/83
Need to have the Holy Spirit
As soon as you want something for yourself, you do nothing but foolish things
Manuscript note
We’re going to start from the outpouring of the Spirit. Because it all starts there. So why do we receive the outpouring of the Spirit in community? The Holy Spirit really doesn’t need us, that’s obvious – and how many of us have received the outpouring of the Spirit just like that… suddenly, the Lord fell on us. So if we receive it in community, it’s because the Lord wants us to live in community. He really wants us to have the support of the brothers. So that’s the essence of the outpouring.
Community Weekend 18-19/0677
If the Holy Spirit is not there to unite everything,
the community is an explosion. An explosion and a stunting.
Community weekend 20/09/81
Evil is all-powerful. The newspapers, the press, the radio, the television, the posters, everything, everything is absolutely frightening and it’s so frightening that you don’t even see that it’s frightening anymore. What do you want the children to do in such a climate? So we can’t go on like this. The Lord can’t let us down like that. That’s why He comes, He multiplies the miracles. […] So, in the whole world, the Lord is at work, the Holy Spirit is coming. It is a Pentecost wind that blows.
Emmanuel" inter-assembly day 13/03/76
The difficulty in praying to the Holy Spirit, says Pierre, is that it is very difficult to present him to us since he is not incarnate. But, by praying to Him, we can ask Him to manifest Himself to us as a Person. We then experience that He is a Person. Seraphim of Sarov says that the whole of life consists in acquiring the Holy Spirit!
Preparatory notes for a teaching session summer 1980
The Lord asks us: “Be perfect as my Father is perfect. So if it is impossible humanly, the Lord must come to our aid; this is given to us since the Holy Spirit is sanctifying! It is He who makes us holy, hence, if we acquire the Holy Spirit, we acquire holiness! “To man it is impossible, to God everything is possible.
The Lord makes us partakers of the divine life, and it is the Holy Spirit who is there to realize this in us.
Preparatory notes for a teaching session summer 1980
… and it is the Holy Spirit who is this genius of geniuses. Really, we should put Him in the Pantheon. It is really thanks to Him that everything is done!
Fraternity of Jesus Retreat 30-31/12/77
The Holy Spirit comes, so we must use it.
He asks us!
Interview on 23/05/73
But we are lazy in the Holy Spirit. We are not lazy with our human will. We have so much voluntarism and Jansenism that we are tired, exhausted. But we don’t know how to ask the Holy Spirit. […]
We have the Holy Spirit in theory, but in practice we don’t use him. It is a beautiful gift that we have been given. We say “it is very beautiful”… we put it back in the cupboard and we say “we will use it on special days”. Like the tableware for the big days, we say “we’ll break it if we use it all the time!”. [The Holy Spirit] you have to use it all the time! All the time, all the time!…
Interview on 23/05/73
Saint Paul tells us: “It is when I am weak that I am strong”, because Jesus says “my grace is sufficient for you”. It is in faith. In faith we feel that this Love of God in us is stronger… We don’t feel anything at all, but practically, the Lord is there and He helps us, and strengthens us, and transforms us. [Let us truly believe in the Love of the Lord and believe in the strength of the Holy Spirit within us.
Fraternity of Jesus Paray summer 83 retreat. Teaching 24/07/83
So it’s not bad! It’s not worth getting tired, you have to wait for the Lord to choose his moment. It’s not bad at all! It really took me out of it. I said to myself: “My God! What a mess I’ve gotten myself into! I’ll never get out of this.” Then Jesus said to me, “But ask me! Let me do it! If you let me, you will see. … And afterwards, you can’t say: “Oh, I’m an extraordinary guy!” … with all the mistakes I made, in the end it didn’t work out! And then one day the Lord comes and everything is done! It’s like the miraculous catch. So that’s our job. Amen! (about the houseboat and the arrival of a new providential and competent convert who can do the work)
Weekend of the Fraternity of Jesus19-20/02/77 Interview on the history of the barge
The Charisms
I must tell you that I had almost no charisms. I had only one charism, that is discernment. And I said to myself: “But why am I tormenting myself since it is the Holy Spirit. I’m a poor guy, like this, well, the Holy Spirit will do the work!” That’s how it happened!
Community weekend at Chezelles 19/11/88
It also comes with my temperament and with experience… experience, prudence.
What I can say is that I have not had great mystical things, I have not seen unheard of things, I have not gone to the seventh heaven… but I have always had intuitions with the Holy Spirit…
Interview by Jean-Marc and Françou Morin in Saint-Maurice 5-8/08/88
The Lord comes. He comes with signs, with signs of conversion that are quite extraordinary and that have not been seen for I don't know how many centuries. Then He says to you: "I want to do something here. Do you want to follow me or not?
"Emmanuel" inter-assembly day 13/03/76
So, you see, this is really a new Pentecost… Catholics have been praying for this new Pentecost and when it comes, they are astonished! So we have to change, and to change, it is the Holy Spirit who will change us. We ask him and he is waiting for that. [He wants to change us, he wants to sanctify us.
But Peter and Paul did not wait to be perfect to announce Jesus. It is a spirit of Pentecost that Jesus sends us. So it’s not for our little inner comfort for our states of mind. He sends us to our brothers…
Journée « Emmanuel » interassemblées 13/03/76
Alors, voyez-vous, vraiment c’est une nouvelle Pentecôte… Les catholiques ont prié pour cette nouvelle Pentecôte et, quand elle arrive, ils sont tout étonnés !
Alors il faut qu’on change, et pour changer, c’est l’Esprit Saint qui va nous changer. On lui demande et Il n’attend que ça. […] Il veut nous changer, il veut nous sanctifier.
Mais Pierre et Paul n’ont pas attendu d’être parfaits pour annoncer Jésus. C’est un esprit de Pentecôte que Jésus nous envoie. Donc ce n’est pas pour notre petit confort intérieur pour nos états d’âme. Il nous envoie vers nos frères…
Gathering in Vézelay 07/74
… the most subtle temptation of this fool called the devil. It’s terrible because we say to ourselves: “He gives me this, but I won’t use it, it’s not worth it. It is very important to use everything the Lord gives us! […] The gifts he gives us, we must use them or you will miss them. Really in this love of Jesus, it is absolutely unheard of what is happening to us, it is a shower of graces and I will tell you: it has only just begun!
Interview on 23/05/73
I did not want the gift of tongues, but after the Le Pichon’s talk, I understood that one should ask for it; that it was not an obligatory sign of this Renewal in the Spirit but a sure sign if one received it.
As soon as I found myself alone, in an almost empty subway car, after having left our friends who had brought me back from Troussures, I tried it and it came from the first sounds… I have to say that before this happened, I was very happy, very peaceful, and pretty sure that as soon as I opened my mouth I would be able to speak like this, and this is what happened. In the days that followed, I paid far too much attention to the sounds that came out of my mouth, so that it distracted me from meditation… I thought afterwards that I had made all those words without any intervention of the Holy Spirit.
Letter n°8 to Françou Malcor 1973
I said to myself, “But I don’t sing in tongues, I’m not sure I sing in tongues. So I said to myself, “I’ll see if I sing in tongues; I’ll see what I’ll say.” So, conclusion: … blocked! And while some people were praying for him: I understood what it was like for the brothers to put their hands on me and really pray with a lot of love so that I could have the gift of tongues; because I would have stopped… I couldn’t get any sound out. And after a minute and a half, it came out! […] So I was very happy and I said, “That’s right!”
Interview by Jean-Romain Frisch 28/04/77
Cooperating with the Holy Spirit
Certainly, we have the Holy Spirit, we must be very relaxed towards the Holy Spirit, follow the Holy Spirit, trust the Holy Spirit. But trusting the Holy Spirit is not to say “do everything and I’ll just watch”.
Community Weekend 04-05/04/81
We need to wake up,
and then ask the Lord to help us and change our hearts.
Cycle of youth weekends 23-24/01/82
You see, that’s it: we know that we are capable of nothing but at the same time we have to make an effort. It’s a fine line between abandonment and voluntarism; between saying that the Lord does everything and that we must also have a minimum of will and fidelity in prayer, in the continuation of the request, in perseverance.
Community Weekend 17-18/05/80
It is important that we transform ourselves little by little, without fear, but also by being demanding with ourselves. And he explains: Because, otherwise, we will have some kind of dreams, we will be very happy and then finally we will lead a little selfish life, and then we will not change so much […] I would like that … we pray to the Lord, so that He helps us, by His Holy Spirit, to transform ourselves. There is a little [effort to be made], not voluntarism, we don’t have to do holiness by force of will, but, practically, it is obvious that we have to do something!
Fraternity of Jesus Easter Retreat 82
Listening to the Holy Spirit / Vigilance
You have been told, “Do this, do that! Well, the Lord says to you: “Do nothing but listen to me!” Only when you stop and do nothing, you fall asleep! But that’s not it at all! What He asks you to do is to listen. At that moment you have to say to Him: “Lord, I beg you, do not let me fall asleep!” Then it starts to change because you start asking Him for advice!
Interview on 23/05/73
Until now we have wanted to do things for Jesus. Now He asks us simply to obey and do what He tells us, to listen.
"Emmanuel" inter-assembly day 13/03/76
We hear the Lord speaking to us, with parasites, with lots of ridiculous things; but at the same time, the Lord is there and we hear him… It is not enough to hear, it is enough to listen and to do what He tells us. And He tells us: “Change your heart” or rather: “Give me your heart, I will change it”. And He gives us His Love and He transforms us in His Love through the theological virtue of charity which transforms us completely.
So at that moment, what happens? It happens that we begin to glow. There is an interior fire that is born in us and that, little by little, grows and consumes all the areas [of the person].
Cycle of youth weekends 23-24/01/82
You know, the Lord is the boss. So He asks you to do this, He doesn't ask you to do just anything.
“From prayer group to community" Paray sessions 06/07/79
We don’t believe enough that Jesus must give us everything. But to give us everything, we ourselves must give him everything. This is what the Holy Spirit leads us to. We have to make an exchange!… You know very well that we always want to act for Jesus. But He doesn’t care if we act for Him, He asks us to do what He asks us. And, at that moment, it’s fantastic what it brings!
Introduction to the teaching of Pastor Thomas Roberts
2nd session of Paray-le-Monial, July 17-22, 1976
If you really try to love others, the Lord opens your heart to the love of others and by opening your heart, it opens your heart to the Spirit of the Lord. At that point, you hear…
“From prayer group to community" Paray sessions 06/07/79
If you go to the poor, but it is not philanthropy, it is love: it is quite different, it is really the love of the Lord. Then you will pray in adoration, you will ask the Lord to give you a heart of compassion. And then, little by little, the Lord will open your heart and give you a gift of discernment. […] If, before starting, you prayed to the Lord to ask: “Where should I go? Where is the Spirit leading me? You will go to such and such a place because the Lord will lead you to go there. […] And then the Lord will tell you how to proceed and, little by little, you will begin to let yourself be led. Because if he doesn’t do it, it’s still human.
" From Prayer Group to Community " sessions in Paray 05-09/07/79 05/07/79
The strength of the weak is the Spirit.
Community Weekend 25/01/81
The Holy Spirit is a witness: He will tell you what you should say… It is Jesus that He supports. Obviously, He is very interested in us: we are witnesses! Practically if we have faith in Him, it will work by itself.
Community Weekend 12/05/79
The Holy Spirit raises us as witnesses, he is the advocate of Christ. The Holy Spirit is the defender of Jesus, so it is in his interest that his witnesses do not ridicule him; hence, if we are witnesses, he gives us his strength. Let the Holy Spirit speak: it is he who, through the word, will testify in our place… To be victorious, we must be united with the Holy Spirit.
Preparatory notes for a teaching session summer 1980
The joy
This joy is really found in the adoration of the Eucharist, it is really our strength. And it is really, I would say, our specificity because it is there that we are recognized; [it is there] that we are really in the Heart of the Lord.
Fraternity of Jesus Retreat 08/79 First teaching
We are simple, like little children…What is needed, above all, is that we trust. It is not a human matter at all, it is Jesus. And Jesus is very simple. It’s not complicated mystical stories, it’s very simple. We are in trust, we are in joy.
Community Weekend 18-19/0677
We adore the Lord Jesus. And we must really believe in this real presence. […] So, a real presence that is very real and very concrete because the Lord became incarnate, and He wants to stay with us. […] He wants to be with us. And it is a great joy for us to know that He is with us.
Community Weekend 21/06/81
We do not have a "dry heart" but we are all smiles.
"Emmanuel" inter-assembly day 13/03/76
We must learn to live everything, in the midst of the world or alone, as if we were alone with Jesus. This is really our vocation. Then, at that moment, we are always happy with him, because we are always with him.
Retraite de Fraternité Aout 78. 09/08/78 MatinaFraternity Retreat August 78. 09/08/78 Morning
Community Weekend 18-19/0677
So I beg you Lord, help us to resemble the ressurected; transform us, keep us in peace, keep us in recollection, joyful recollection. Make us joyful but keep us in you. […] And then you give us this strength, this courage to go to others, otherwise we are always trembling beings. You are our strength, You are our joy, You are our life. Ah, You are truly alive, make us live in You! Hallelujah!
Weekend "Emmanuel" 26/10/75d
We know that this Jesus is truly the living God. He is alive and well and we are joyful about it. So this joy must burst forth!
Weekend "Emmanuel" 26/10/75
It was an extraordinary joy (after the outpouring of the Spirit)
Interview by Jean-Romain Frisch 28/04/77
We were laughing all the time, we were so happy! One boy said:
"But why are they so happy?
Community weekend at Chezelles 19/11/88
Truly, Lord, we thank you for having sent us your Spirit. […] So I beg you, Lord help us to resemble the ressurected… Keep us in joyful recollection; make us joyful but keep us in you… You are our joy!
Weekend "Emmanuel" 26/10/75
Christianity is joy. Without joy, we are not in the truth because we are not in Love.
Letter to Françou Malcor 06/08/72
We are joyful because we are loved. And we love Love and we are transformed by Love
Community weekend 20/09/81
In Rome, people understood praise. In St. Peter’s Basilica, it was a people in praise. The Puerto Ricans had the greatest effect on us because they were in a joyful mood, a kindness, an extraordinary joy. But what also struck us a lot was the solidity of their faith. […] We saw the faith, the depth of their faith. (about the gathering in Rome)
Interview by Jean-Romain Frisch 05/05/77
It’s obvious that afterwards, [in the prayer groups] we sang “Ressuscito” and “Alabare”, and people were transformed. They didn’t understand why we were so happy, it completely woke them up.
Interview by Jean-Romain Frisch May or June 77
Jesus is in our midst and Jesus saves us all the time. We are in joy because we already know… we are practically resurrected with Him. We are saved in spirit and in truth and the Lord is there, in Love. […] Really this Love of the Lord is everything! Let us believe, we are victorious in the Love of the Lord, Amen, alleluia!
Fraternity of Jesus Christmas 80 Retreat Teaching 3
Let us be happy, let us rejoice, let us not be sad and say: “My God, what is going to fall on our heads? We know that we have the Lord with us, that Mary is there to protect us. So what more do you want?
Community Weekend 03/15/80
When we give ourselves to Jesus,
it is joyful because we are victorious in Him.
"Emmanuel" inter-assembly day 13/03/76
It is obvious that if people feel how much they can save souls by their martyrdom, they are in a supernatural joy because it is given by God, by love.
Community Weekend 25/01/81
Jesus, on the cross, suffered, but He suffered even more for all the souls that were in danger of being lost and He was happy about His sufferings because with His sufferings He said: “I save souls.” Likewise for Therese of the Child Jesus who, following His example, while she was suffering terribly, was so happy to save souls. She really had the fire of Love in her. So what we must ask for is this fire of Love, infinitely greater than suffering.
Fraternity of Jesus Christmas 80 Retreat Teaching 3
Conversation avec Pierre Goursat 1976
And then this praise, when we sing with joy but we suffer, it teaches us little by little to praise continually, and even when we suffer and have difficulties. This is what the book From prison to praise says. It is the absolute antidote to evil as it is especially at the moment, which is this despair.
Conversation with Pierre Goursat1976
We are on board. The ship has sailed. Let’s really be in joy. We hoist the sail and then, put at the foot of the main mast and sing in tongues. In the storm, they sing in tongues and then it goes by itself! And the storm calms down. […] So we are really in joy. We must really say to ourselves: “We are victorious in Him who strengthens us.
Fraternity of Jesus Christmas 80 Retreat Teaching 3
Fraternity of Jesus Retreat. August 78 10/08/78 Morning.
And then you get together and you say after a year, “It’s funny, but we were all happy, all content, what’s going on?” It’s because the Lord is there, and the Spirit of the Lord is there. Please believe that.
Interview on 23/05/73
In order to be joyful, we must be together with some, carry each other’s burdens, so that “the yoke is easy and my burden is light”… So I will always repeat the same thing: “Love one another (I am completely spoiled like Saint John), love one another and then everything will be fine.” So really, let’s unite with each other!
"Emmanuel" inter-assembly day 13/03/76
It is a great joy because we know that the Lord has made the community to help us, to allow us to hold on, and then to be in hope and in joy.
Community Weekend 17-18/05/80
Our rhythm of life is the rhythm of the Heart of Jesus and the rhythm of the Heart of Mary. So at that moment, we relax, we are all joyful and relaxed, and at the same time all recollected.
Community Weekend Spring '79
You know, you can laugh very well because, with the Lord, it’s deep, but you must not take yourself seriously. And don’t be a pain in the ass.
Fraternity Retreat August 78. 09/08/78 Morning
